Monday, November 13, 2017

"Witness" (Joshua 24:1-3a, 14-25)

One of the things that I enjoy and appreciate about our fellowship time after worship is listening to the conversations about Joliet.  Especially those conversations that recall the community's past.  I enjoy hearing the stories that are told about the "old timers" who helped to establish this community, this area, and even this church.  I appreciate the knowledge that is shared by the two Bobs--Hull and Jensen, that is . . . the tidbits shared by Nellie and Anne . . . and, all the juicy memories of others who are gathered around the table.  And, I appreciate the fact that they have stepped into the role as "witness" to this community and its journey as a community.  This is a big role, and an important role, because they are telling our story as a community.
 

A community's story important because it presents to those listening the foundation of that community . . . it's beliefs, morals, and who they are as a community.  Through their past they learn from where they have come, how that makes them who they are in the present, and points them in a direction to go in the future.  They hear of the struggles and the celebrations, the victories and defeats to be the people they are.  Through the stories the listener begins to understand the intricate weaving of the threads that hold the community together.  And, through the stories, the storyteller keeps the story alive as he or she passes it on to the next generation.  The storytellers bear witness to what was, is, and is yet to come . . . they bear witness to being.
 


Our scripture reading this morning comes after a long journey by God's people . . . 40 years of wandering in the wilderness with many frustrations and doubts.  A hard 40 years . . . and, now they stand on the brink of fulfillment of their dreams and hopes . . . a land of their own.  Gone are those older generations . . . gone is Moses.  Standing before them is Joshua, the one chosen to lead them into the Promised Land.  Standing before the people he tells them a story . . . a story of their past. . . and, of their future.      The story Joshua tells the people goes back to their roots . . . to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob . . . to their captivity in Egypt . . . to their wandering in the wilderness.  He tells them of their loyalty and disloyalty to the God who made it all possible . . . how this God has made it all possible and brought them to this point.  It is their story . . . their journey . . . and now it is time for them to claim it as he challenges them to serve God and only God.
 

Joshua challenges the people with these words: "Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness.  Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord.  But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living."      With no hesitation, Joshua then declares his loyalty, and sets the challenge: "But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord."        The people are quick to give lip service to Joshua's challenge, more or less saying, "Yea, yea, yea . . . God is our God."  Joshua then warns them that God is a jealous God who does not take kindly to lip service . . . so, watch out.  But the people assure Joshua that they are not giving lip service to God . . .they promise that they will serve the Lord.  Then Joshua said, "You are witnesses against yourselves that you have chosen to serve the Lord."      

"Yes, we are witnesses," they replied.  
 

With those words a covenant was declared.  Joshua shared with them the foundation of the story . . . the laws and decrees of what it means to serve the Lord . . . how they are to live their lives in faith with God.  In proclaiming themselves witnesses they have picked up the mantle of being tellers of the story . . . their story.  With their proclamation they add a new chapter to the story.  It is now their responsibility to keep the story alive . . . to pass it on from one person to another, from one generation to another.  Only they can do it.      We, too, are called to be witnesses of the faith journey . . . of the community of faith.  On that day that we declared our faith to God through Jesus Christ, we declared ourselves to be witnesses to his story as it is lived out through our lives.  We declared our acceptance to be witnesses when we proclaimed our faith in God through Jesus, and with that came the responsibility to tell the story.
 

Now, don't panic.  This does not mean that you have to become a Bible scholar, though that is okay if you want too . . .no, we have those individuals who are somewhat competent in that role--we have Bible scholars, theologians, ministers, elders, deacons.  But it is good to have at least a Sunday school understanding of the story from which you can fall back on.  The story is too big, for just one person to know it all.  Shoot, all the people who stood there listening to Joshua tell the story did not know all of the story, if any of the story.       But, they did know the story as it involved them and their relationship with God.  And, that is where they begin their story . . . their witness of the story.  They tell the story of their faith journey . . . how they came to know God . . . their frustrations and hopes . . . their victories and defeats.  With their stories they witness the presence of a living God who is full of love and grace . . . a living God of love and grace that they can trace all the way back.  In this they witness their faith and the faith of those who came before them.
 

One of the coolest things that I stumbled across years ago is something that is called a "story quilt".  A story quilt is simply a quilt in which the blocks that it is made up of tell a story.  A lot of these quilts were made by slaves years and years ago to be able to share the stories with future generations . . . some were biblical, some personal.  But as the quilts were passed down through the generations, so were the stories.      That is how I see our role as witnesses in this story today.  I see each of us as furnishing a block--our story of faith--to a majestic quilt being sown.  Each block or story is different, but each is necessary, in telling the story.  And, running through each of the blocks . . . each of the stories . . . is the thread that holds it all together as the greatest story ever told.  That thread is the living God of grace and love.  That thread binds it all together as a story of love.  Together we are the witnesses to that story . . . together we make the quilt to pass on.
 

As the followers of Jesus we have declared with Joshua and our ancestors of the faith before us, that as for ourselves and our households that we will serve the Lord.  We have declared this before God and others, but more importantly before ourselves and God.  The responsibility falls upon each and every one of us to become storytellers of the faith . . . to share our stories.  The future depends upon us.  Go forth and share the story as you know it . . . the thread will bring it all together.  Amen.

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